This application claims priority of the German patent application 101 44 042.1 filed Sep. 7, 2001 which is incorporated by reference herein.
The invention concerns a system for staining and coverslipping specimen slides. The invention concerns in particular a system for staining and coverslipping specimen slides using a stainer and a coverslipper that are arranged next to one another.
WO 95/20176 discloses an instrument for automatic deposition of coverslips. The pickup head possesses suction cups, facing outward from the longitudinal axis of the pickup head, to which a vacuum can be applied individually. A piston that is mechanically preloaded downward with a spring is provided between the suction cups. In order to pick up a coverslip, the pickup head is pressed onto the coverslip stack until the suction cups are in contact with the topmost coverslip. The adhesion between the topmost coverslip and the coverslips below it is overcome by means of a shearing motion. The specimen slides that are to be equipped with coverslips are deposited in a drawer. This does not result in any automation of the apparatus, since the user himxe2x80x94or herself must reload specimen slides.
An automatic stainer and coverslipper are two separate units. According to the existing art, after the staining operation the specimen slides needed to be manually removed from the stainer and inserted into the coverslipper in order to start the process of covering them with coverslips (see Leica brochure CV 5000). Despite the automation of the individual units, manual loading of the coverslipper is necessary. Smooth operation requires that laboratory personnel occupy themselves, at very short intervals of a few minutes, with removing racks from the stainer and loading the coverslipper.
It is the object of the invention to create a system intended to guarantee handling of specimen slides in as automatic a fashion as possible. The intervention of an operator during staining and subsequent coverslipping of the specimen slides is intended to be minimized.
This object is achieved by means of a system which is characterized in that a transfer device is provided between the stainer and the coverslipper.